Pedro Camejo (1790-1821) also known as Negro Primero (The First Black or Black First in Spanish) was a Venezuelan soldier who fought with the Royal Army and then the Rebel Army during the Venezuelan War of Independence between 1810 and 1823. He was the only officer of African descent who was with the army of Simon Bolivar.
Camejo was born enslaved on March 30, 1790, in San Juan de Payara, Captaincy General of Venezuela, Spanish Empire (Now Venezuela), enslaved to a Spanish royalist and landowner Vincente Alonzo. Alonzo put Camejo into military service for the king of Spain Ferdinand VII and Camejo fought for Spain when the Venezuelan War of Independence (Battle of Araure) began.
Freedom Before Death
After the battle of Araure on December 5, 1813 Camejo impressed by the army of patriots led by Simon Bolivar was hoping for a peace treaty. In the battle Bolivar’s army captured more than 3,000 Spanish royalist troops and as the battle continued Camejo fled with another soldier. They stayed hidden for a time in the state of Apure until he later discovered that fighting for the Patriots could lead to the emancipation of Afro-Venezuelan slaves. In 1816, Camejo came before General Jose Antonio Paez, who fought with Bolivar. Patriot soldiers advised Paez to bring Camejo in the Patriot army since they were already familiar with his bravery and skill in battle. Camejo was accepted into the army and fought under Paez; he also gained his freedom.
Seriously wounded during the battle of Carabobo Camejo died a free man at the age of 31 On June 24, 1821. In the book Venezuela Heroica, Eduardo Blanco recounts the moment Camejo appeared before General Páez and, with a faint voice, told him: "My general, I have come to say goodbye because I am dead." Despite his death, the battle of Carabobo was seen as the decisive battle won by the Patriots and led to the independence of Venezuela.
Honoring A Black Freedom Fighter
In 1887, artist Martin Tovar y Tovar portrayed Camejo reclining in a painting of the battle of Carabobo that can be found in the Federal Legislature of Caracas. In 1890, painter Arturo Michelena immortalized Camejo in an oil painting portraying an episode of the battle of Las Queseras del Medio.
Sources: archive.org; blackpast.org; en-academic.com; venezuelatuya.com
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